Category Archives: Cisco TelePresence
2012
Corporate Networks Must Prepare For Increased Video Conferencing Adoption
Video conferencing is poised to be the next crucial test for IT managers at businesses around the world in 2012, according to a report published by the Computer Business Review. With so many companies moving to embrace video conferencing as the go-to communications tool both internally and externally, corporate networks must be made ready for the increased demands in terms of bandwidth and uptime that are a requirement for using this type of technology.
One of the key takeaways when examining the need to create a robust business network capable of supporting a diverse telepresence communications strategy is to take into account the varied demands that will be made on available resources. For example, the Computer Business Review report indicates that as many as 92 percent of Fortune 500 companies are experimenting with the incorporation of tablets such as the iPad into their communications infrastructure. This means that IT managers have to look beyond the establishment of high-bandwidth, wired endpoints within an office environment and also scrutinize how video conferencing can be incorporated into wireless, VPN, and cloud services. Multiple simultaneous telepresence sessions – complete with data sharing – are another concern when planning out the bandwidth available for this type of video communication, and security policies will have to be re-examined as greater numbers of workers begin to use their own personal devices as video conferencing endpoints.
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2012
Top 10 Telepresence Posts of 2011 From The KBZ Communications Blog
It’s the first week of 2012, which means it’s the perfect time to take a look back on some of the most popular posts of the past year from the Telepresence & Video Conferencing Blog. Let’s recap the most commented, read, and shared telepresence posts of 2011 and see what trends and interests dominated the industry over the course of the previous 12 months.
10. Use of Video Conferencing Surges Toward Widespread Adoption
This post from September was one of the first that we put together charting the growing evidence that video conferencing was about to reach the tipping point in terms of mass adoption. Driving this trend were the lowered costs of telepresence technology, improvements in mobile video conferencing, and increased interest in having employees telecommute at least one day per week across a wide range of different industries.
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2011
Telepresence and Digital Signage Offer 21st Century Tools for Schools
Is telepresence technology at the leading edge of a fundamental change in how future generations of students will be educated – not just at the grade school level, but also in institutions of higher learning? As the world becomes more oriented towards visual representations of information, the chance for video conferencing and delivery systems to play a formative role in bringing a fresh perspective to learning looms large over the entire industry.
Students at Pymble Ladies College (PLC) offer an interesting example of how administrators and teachers alike are partnering with telepresence providers such as Cisco in order to create a blended curriculum that places a heavy emphasis on participatory, image-based learning. The PLC campus has embraced connectivity as part of an effort to engage children and teenagers (from kindergarten to grade 12) who have grown up in a world where mobile phones and internet messaging and browsing software allow for instant communications and easy access to information, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Pymble Ladies College has deployed an array of technologies – including Cisco MXE and Digital Signage – to enhance its telepresence strategy and create an environment where students feel comfortable interacting with digital video media.
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2011
How Video Conferencing Professionals Used LinkedIn in November
This past November, members of the Videoconferencing Professionals LinkedIn group used each other as sounding boards to help find the answers to a number of questions concerning industry strategies and technical issues. Peggy Daly, corporate account manager at MSpace, asked for a user perspective comparison of Polycom HDX and Cisco C Series technology. Rodolfo Dávila López of ICE stressed that it was important to identify the specific type of user before answering this particular question, as it was a fairly broad topic. That being said, Cisco TelePresence technology edged ahead on the strengths of its ease of use and quality of features, an opinion that was held by members such as Paul Lofgren, president of Golden Gate Networks, LLC, Mark Okern, senior network engineer – video at Enventis (@mrokern), and Florent Gasselin, video conference technician at Audio Visio Media.
The hive mind was tested once again when Mike McKenzie, national accounts manager for Kiedinger, Inc., asked for help in finding a technical solution that would allow him to send two camera images as a single video feed from a courtroom, a question that prompted a diverse range of vendor and technology suggestions. Tanju Hasanof of AMCOL also probed the group to ask for global video bridging solutions, while Wade Curtis, marketing manager at Interactive Video Solutions, Inc. (@wncurtis), drew the group’s attention to a telepresence robot designed by Bell Labs which in addition to its business applications also had the potential to serve as a therapeutic communications tool for developmentally disabled children.
Top Influencer for November
This month’s top influencer award in the Videoconferencing Professionals LinkedIn group belongs to Henry Liu, TVSS and collaboration systems engineer at Cisco (@howkliu). Liu was an active participant in many of the most heavily trafficked conversations in November, offering up not just advice but also contributing solid technical information to each discussion that he posted in.
Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team
2011
Cisco TelePresence Offers Medical Personnel A New Emergency Management Tool
Telepresence technology is becoming a more common feature of medical practices around the world, but it can also serve an important health care role outside of the traditional hospital setting. In fact, the benefits of video conferencing technology are beginning to work their way into the emergency recovery plans of medical administrators forced to manage the staggering needs of disasters whose scope sometimes overwhelms the capacity of standard medical deployment.
The recent flooding that has threatened over one hundred thousand Thai citizens offers a glimpse into how video conferencing can help the medical establishment provide a higher level of care to disaster victims. In a flood situation, the rising waters pose more than just a danger to residents who are unable to evacuate in time. Rivers that break their banks also cut off access to food, drinkable water, health care, and other important resources. The disruption in travel and distribution channels can effectively isolate populations from the services and supplies that they need, including emergency medics and rescue personnel.
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2011
New Solutions Extend Benefits of Video Conferencing to Educational Institutions
Adopting video conferencing technology in a classroom setting involves more than simply purchasing and installing cameras, displays, and codecs. Taking advantage of the benefits of video conferencing when it comes to teaching means choosing a solution that has been specifically designed to be flexible enough to accommodate the needs of modern educators, while still offering a simple interface, advanced customization features, and a variety of different deployment options.
A 2008 fire devastated the Main Building at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX. But the eschewing reconstruction gave administrators the opportunity to extensively integrate video conferencing and telepresence into the university’s technology infrastructure.
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2011
Cisco TelePresence Tech Tip: How to Add an Option to a Video Communication Server (VCS)
VCS Option Installation Instructions
This procedure describes how to enter option keys using the VCS Web interface. To enter option keys using the command line interface (CLI), consult the VCS Administrator Guide.
Before you proceed, make sure that the VCS has been installed and configured so that you can access it from a Web browser. Consult the VCS Administrator Guide for further information.
To activate your VCS options, follow these steps:
Step 1. Using a supported Web browser, go to the IP address or host name of the VCS: http://<VCS IP address>.
Step 2. Log in to the VCS as system administrator. (For a new VCS the username is “admin” with password “TANDBERG”). The VCS page appears in the browser.
Step 3. In the VCS page menu, click Maintenance > Option keys.
The Option Keys page appears.
The first section lists the keys already installed on your system, along with a description of the options they provide.
The System information section describes the hardware and options that currently make up your system.
For each feature option for which you have an option key, follow steps 4 to 5.
Step 4. In the Software Option section, Add Option Key field, enter the 20‐character key provided to you for the option you want to add.
Step 5 . Click Add option.
Some option keys require that the VCS be restarted before the option key takes effect. In such cases, you will receive a warning in the browser, which will remain in place as a reminder until the system has been restarted. However, you can continue to use and configure the VCS in the meantime.
KBZ ZCare Team
ZCare is the all-inclusive KBZ service program, offering 24/7 technical support for Cisco TelePresence and video communication systems and equipment. To learn more about ZCare, visit http://www.kbz.com/services/technical-support.aspx
VCS Option Installation Instructions
This procedure describes how to enter option keys using the VCS Web interface. To enter option keys using the command line interface (CLI), consult the VCS Administrator Guide.
2011
VideoPalooza West Coast Tour Highlights Cisco TelePresence and Cisco DMS
Eager to get a first-hand look at the latest Cisco TelePresence and Cisco Digital Media Suite products, KBZ Communications partners were in for a treat at the VideoPalooza West Coast tour. Three recent events in California and Washington State attracted considerable attention. VideoPalooza steams ahead on the East Coast, after completing a two week tour out west.
The 2011 edition of the VideoPalooza tour gives Cisco reseller partners the chance to learn more about their telepresence technology options as well as get more familiar with new digital signage solutions. Cisco DMS includes digital signage applications for creating and distributing digital content. Each stop on the 2011 tour includes product demos and information sessions about Cisco TelePresence and Cisco DMS, as well as inside information from KBZ Communications and Cisco on where the future of video conferencing and digital signage is heading.
2011
Telepresence Technology Helps Rural Communities Retain Skilled Workers
It used to be that part of small town life meant watching some of the best and brightest members of your community leave for better employment and education opportunities in more populous cities. But now, thanks to the increased adoption of video conferencing technology, this particular trend might be on the verge of slowing down – or even reversing. In some communities, the advantages of video conferencing and advancements in technology has allowed for the creation of partnerships between universities and other educational institutions in order to provide high quality, professional-level classes. Such classes help professionals keep their careers on track without having to leave for the big city.
One such partnership has developed between the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Otero Junior College, which is located in La Junta, CO. The University of Colorado provides engineering and nursing courses via a telepresence link, which has had an important impact on the rural community’s ability to provide high level healthcare to its residents.
2011
Cisco Connected Justice Program A Boon to State and County Judicial Systems
Cisco TelePresence is increasingly making in-roads when it comes to the court and justice systems on both the state and county level. The Cisco Connected Justice program reflects the changing needs of law enforcement and judicial systems struggling to deal with increased case loads and shrinking budgets. Connected Justice is focused on bringing the technological advantages offered by telepresence communications to this unique arena to help make the most of the funding allocated to courts across the country.
Cisco Connected Justice is intended to create a simplified platform for sharing information across the different components that comprise the judicial system. The basis of the Cisco Connected Justice initiative is a secure data network that protects all sensitive information, communication, and testimony in order to ensure the confidentiality of all involved and protect the rights of litigants and defendants. Video communications technology allows for improved collaboration between members of the court both inside and outside the courthouse, especially when consulting with third-party experts. It also enhances the safety of witnesses when dealing with testimony in sensitive cases, and can help to reduce the cost of travel when working with geographically spread-out participants.
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